The air battle that raged over Nowshera on the morning of February 27 was the first since 1971, when Indian and Pakistani jets engaged in a combat. The Indian side was constrained by the ‘rules of engagement’, which restricted pilots from going across the LoC and prevented them from firing the first shot. Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman managed to lock an intruding Pak F-16 target and shoot it down after a hot chase. Here’s a reconstruction:
Indian radars spot a package of Pakistani jets approaching the Line of Control
Pak jets were a mix of JF-17, F-16 and Mirage-III fighters; 24 fighters were being tracked
Indian Response: Scramble two pairs of Su-30MKI & Mirage 2000 to deter Pak jets
In addition, two pairs of MiG-21 Bison fighters took off from Srinagar
Su30MKIs and Mirage 2000 jets got locked on by F-16s; took evasive measures
At least four long range AMRAAM AIM120 fired at the Indian jets from a range of over 50 km
Su-30MKIs, Mirage-2000s and three MiG-21 Bisons take evasive measures
Varthaman manages to get close to a set of three F16s that had by then gone on the other side of the LoC over Nowshera
Varthaman manages to lock on a F-16 jet with his short-range R-73 missile; F-16 tries to evade the lock with a steep ascent
Ground controllers warn Varthaman to turn back as he was getting too close to the LoC
Varthaman confirms to ground control that he has a target locked with his R-73 missile; transmissions cease after that R-73 is fired from within visual range, Varthaman witnesses missile hitting the F-16
Abhinandan’s MiG21 is also hit, forcing him to eject
The plane is across the LoC by this time, pilot goes down and is caught by locals and handed over to the Army
Eyewitness accounts state that three parachutes seen descending from the sky
One eyewitness says a ‘Sikh pilot’ was caught by locals and handed over, possibly mistaking a bearded Pak Air Force officer for a Sikh. Indian pilots are not allowed to sport a beard while PAF officers are permitted a trimmed one
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